D&D 5E Help With fixing the BBEG, after he got destroyed in 3 rounds

[NotQuiteANoble]

Legendaries go a long way to fixing the problem as you state above.

I find the problem is generally with DMs trying to create PC BBEG's (class levels etc) instead of using the monster creation guidelines, and also critically under CRing the monsters.

In this case the BBEG should be around CR 18, a legendary, and should not be built as a PC class. Just cherry pick figures from the Monster stats by CR table (for this CR an AC of 19 odd, 330 odd HP, 110 or so damage per round at +10, Save DCs around 19) and work around that.

Thanks for the reply. I'll do away with the Bard levels, add hit points, some damage.

 

[NotQuiteANoble]

I had my first significant experience with a 5e "solo" (legendary monster) on Sunday. We were 12th-level. I would recommend stealing that type of monster design, then flavoring abilities like PC abilities. (So a legendary wizard might still dish out Magic Missile, but it's an epic missile storm that can deliver far more damage than a PC wizard could against multiple opponents. And then the epic wizard has other actions!)

The solo wasn't the only guy on the battlefield, which was very large; opponents attacked us from three directions (three of which were significant enough in their own right that I didn't think of them as "minion") and the solo hadn't even appeared on the field at the start. One of our PCs (an elf ranger) was taking damage from being shot at with arrows. My character (a dwarven fighter) had only taken 3 damage taking on some minor opponents, but unfortunately this took me further away from the solo's intended attack point. Then the solo appeared out of the gloom and teleported to the critical point and still had actions left over since they could use legendary actions.

One PC dimension doored with my dwarven fighter to that point, but by then the ranger had taken a full round of attacks to the face. Some of the attacks weren't even directed at him, but he was hit at least four times that round. Together with the damage he had already taken we found ourselves looking up how far into negative hit points can a character fall without dying. (Apparently more than 4e; minus your total hit points!) So he didn't die outright, but was currently lying on the ground, face up, with a startled expression on his reshaped face.

My character had 103 hit points left when he got there, and took four attacks, reducing him to exactly 1 hit point! Second Wind would not give him enough hit points, and Parry would not cut enough incoming damage, to save him without some urgent assistance. In the end, we were all mangled. I would have been happier if we had interacted with the legendary monster earlier, but we fought a battle that could have easily ended up as a TPK. When you find yourself frantically looking over your character sheet, trying to find options that will keep you alive, you know you've bitten off more than you can chew.

So if I am dead set on using class abilities, make them more powerful? Like the Magic Missile Storm?

 

[Zardnaar]

Lasted 3 rounds did well.

Two weeks ago I got around 5 using foresight spell but you've already done that.

 

[Flamestrike]

The barbarian has a damage modifier of +32 to his first attack,

How?

 

[NotQuiteANoble]

How?

Belt of storm giant makes strength +9, +3 Sword,+3 rage, +6 for Divine Fury, +10 Great Weapon Master. Total of 32. We rolled for a lot of items, and with some crafting in downtime, they've managed to become insanely strong.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

So if I am dead set on using class abilities, make them more powerful? Like the Magic Missile Storm?

Yes. That character needs to replace four wizards, so they need to be four times more powerful.

 

[Flamestrike]

Belt of storm giant makes strength +9, +3 Sword,+3 rage, +6 for Divine Fury, +10 Great Weapon Master. Total of 32. We rolled for a lot of items, and with some crafting in downtime, they've managed to become insanely strong.

OK that's some relevant information! He is packing two legendary items there in a Belt of Storm Giant Strength and a +3 Sword (and likely has even more stuff).

they've managed to become insanely strong.

They didn't really 'manage' to get insanely strong- the DM (you?) let them.

There is nothing wrong with gonzo OTT magic item campaigns, but I personally would never have handed that level of stuff out, at that frequency. I mean your 13th level barbarian is at +17 to hit (with advantage from reckless attack!).

I can clearly see why the BBEG you presented above got absolutely murdered. With 150 hit points, Im surprised he even lasted a single round.

Can you provide a summary of the 4 x PCs with a list of relevant magic items, and I can stat up a challenge for them if you would like using your NPC above as inspiration.

 

[NotQuiteANoble]

OK that's some relevant information! He is packing two legendary items there in a Belt of Storm Giant Strength and a +3 Sword (and likely has even more stuff).


They didn't really 'manage' to get insanely strong- the DM (you?) let them.

There is nothing wrong with gonzo OTT magic item campaigns, but I personally would never have handed that level of stuff out, at that frequency. I mean your 13th level barbarian is at +17 to hit (with advantage from reckless attack!).

I can clearly see why the BBEG you presented above got absolutely murdered. With 150 hit points, Im surprised he even lasted a single round.

Can you provide a summary of the 4 x PCs with a list of relevant magic items, and I can stat up a challenge for them if you would like using your NPC above as inspiration.

Dragonborn Zealot Barbarian- Belt of Storm Giant Strength, Volt Edge(+3 Greatsword and deals 2d6 Lightning damage as well, don't really know how these items got approved by the DM) and nothing else of interest aside from some Boots of Striding and Springing(he joined later)

Aasimar Paladin- +3 Greatsword, Demon Armor and a Ring of Protection.

The bloody Ki-Rin- True Polymorph scroll another DM randomly rolled turned him into the literal stat block-https://5e.tools/bestiary/kirin-vgm.html

Elf Wizard- Robe of the Archmagi, Staff of Defence, Ring of Invisibility, Boots of Elvenkind, Bag of Holding, Master's Amulet, and a spellbook the size of a small library, as well as WAY too many scrolls.

Machina-Shield Guardian with a cloak of displacement.

As far as the OTT items go, I've stepped in to DM from level 13, since the DM and a player had an argument over the magic items, and left. I picked it up since my friends still wanted to play(kind of wanted to do a high level one, but didn't really know what I was getting into). They are still in the Hells anyway.

What do you think of an adaptive ability? More uses of the same spells may build up an immunity, like a Bacteria with Antibiotics. Simply attacking won't work after a while.

Thank you though, for the detail and effort you've put into this.

 

[Weiley31]

Wait: you guys have a Shield Golem AND a Kirin as party members?

Damn.

 

[NotQuiteANoble]

The last DM allowed crafting during downtime, and the last few sessions he ran, contained a YEAR worth of downtime. So the Wizard crafted 4 of them, keeping 3 at their base(which oh my, was so heavily trapped it was worse than the Tomb of Horrors, as well as a sleuth of items. On top of a few of the already powerful items, I have my work cut out.